The
French Coptic Orthodox Eparchy, one of the dioceses of the Coptic
Orthodox Church of Alexandria, was canonically instituted by His
Holiness Abba SHENUDA III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of
Saint Mark's Predication, on June 2, 1974 - Whitsunday.

On the same day, His Holiness Abba SHENUDA III, assisted by seventeenMetropolitans
and Bishops members of the Holy Synod, while believers watched,
ordained in St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo hieromonk MARCOS, from
the Abba BISHOI monastery in the Scete Desert (Wadi el Natroun),
as first Bishop of France.

During the same ceremony, hieromonk ATHANASIOS, from the Abba
BISHOI monastery in the Scete Desert (Wadi el Natroun), was appointed
Deputy Bishop.

On
June 18, 1994, His Holiness Abba SHENUDA III raised the French
Coptic Orthodox Eparchy to the full status of French Coptic
Orthodox Church.

On
June 19, 1994, Whitsunday, as per the Julian calendar, His Holiness
Abba SHENUDA III, assisted by 62 Metropolitans and Bishops, ordained
in St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo Deputy Bishop Abba ATHANASIOS
as Bishop and bestowed Bishop Abba MARCOS upon the metropolis
for the whole of France.

The French Coptic Orthodox Church addresses all French people
engaged in a spiritual quest as well as it addresses the spiritual
needs of all French Copts of the second and third generation.